Newspapers / The University of North … / Jan. 7, 1925, edition 1 / Page 1
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The news in this publi cation is released for the press on receipt. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA NEWS LETTER Published Weekly by the University of North Caro lina for the University Ex tension Division. JANUARY 7, 1925 CHAPEL HILL, N. C. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS VOL. XI, NO. 8 ISiitoriiil E. C, Branson. S. H. Hobbs, Jr., L R Wilaon, B.-W. Knlfjht. D, D. Carroll, 3, B.finllltt, H. W. Odum. Entered as secend-elaan matter N' 14, IS14, at the PoatofBee at Chapel Hill, N. C., under the actof Auiruat U. 1912 STATE COLLEGE SUPPORT The state expenditure on state-sup ported college culture in 1922-23 was 67 cents per white inhabitant. This is what the State University, the State College of Agriculture, and the North Carolina College for Women, the three state-supported institutions of college grade, cost the state for current or operating expenses for the year 1922- 23, including the summer schools and all extension work. The table which appears elsewhere shows how the states rank in the state- support of college culture on a per white inhabitant basis. It is not quite fair to include negroes in such a study, nor is it entirely fair to exclude them, since they are producers of wealth. Excluding negroes raises the rank of North Carolina and other southern states beyond their true position, but it eliminates any possible criticism of the method of comparison. Twenty-four states in the United States rank ahead of N>rth Carolina in the per white inhabitant support of state colleges, while one stale, Mis sissippi, ties her for twenty-fifth rank. Three southern states rank ahead of N^rth Carolina. They are South Ca rolina, which state pays, $1.10 per white inhabitant to support herinstitu Ibns of college grade, Texas, which contributes 63 cents, and Oklahoma, which contributes 61 cents. Missis sippi, which ranked ahead of us in 1921- 22 now ties us with 67 cents, or so in 1922-23. States That Lead The states that rank ahead of North Carolina are almost without exception located west of the Mississippi river, where colleges are mainly state institu tions and not privately supported. The states that rank below North Carolina are most of the southern states whose college facilities are generally poor and inadequate, and the northern and eastern states where nearly all of the great and richly endowed and liberally supported private colleges and univer sities are found. In these states the privately supported colleges go.t well established ahead of the state-supported schools and it has never been neces sary for states with such colleges as Yale, Harvard. Princeton, Columbia, Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, and scores of other great colleges, to spend much on state colleges. North Ca rolina ranks twenty-fifth in the state support of college culture, but she does not have anywhere near that rank in total college support, state and pri vate, per white inhabitant. Moving Up North Carolina has been moving up in rank among the states within recent years. In 1920-21 we ranked 36th with an average expenditure of 32 cents per white inhabitant for the maintenance of our colleges. A sudden rise took place in 1921-22 because of the enlarged program of the famous 1921 legisla ture. In that year the amount rose to 66 cents, and our rank became twenty-seventh. For 1922-23 the amount was 67 cents and our rank twenty-fifth. The 1923 Legislature continued the expansion program and the state last year spent 73 cents per white inhabitant to operate the state- supported colleges. Our rise has been fairly rapid and our state colleges are now getting to the point where they can with some degree of comfort care for the students who are now regis tered. But it is well to remember that in North Carolina, as in the rest of the South and in the West, colleges are largely state-supported, more largely 80 than in the North and East. Our present rank is not a matter of pride. But most important of all is the rapid increase year by year in the number of college students. The re markable increase in high-school en rollment and graduates in.,North Caro lina is probably unmatched by any other state. Our high-school system is just getting under way and|it is pos sible for enrollment in the state col leges to double again’within the next five or six years, just as it has doubled within the last five or six years. The University can easily have five thou sand students by 1930, and the enroll ment in other schools Jean increase equally as much, if facilities an(i main tenance funds are adequate to care for those who will be seeking a college training. The high schools will be graduating students in more than suffi cient numbers for this. It is merely a matter of whether the state’s colleges can take them in and care for them. Abundantly Able North Carolina spent more than one hundred million dollars on automobiles in 1923 or one hundred times as much as she spent on her state-supported colleges. There are nearly three mil lion people in North Carolina, and they are now spending only one million dol lars a year to operate the state colleges. If we supported our state colleges as Nevada supports hers we would be spending not one million, but nearly eight million dollars a year. If we supported our state colleges as Nebras ka, a fair state to rank North Carolina against, supports hers, we would be spending more than three million dol lars annually. Industrially and agri culturally North Carolina ranks ahead of Nebraska and of a great many other states which rank ahead of us in college properties ai.d college sup port. EXTENSION WORK GROWS The Extension Division of the Ufii- versity of North Carolina, the purpose of i^hich is to carry the campus to those of the State who are unable to come to it for instructi(«n, thereby rendering the maximum of service to North Carolina folk, has nearly doubled the scope of its work during the last twelve months. The enrollment of students in the ex tension classes and correspondence courses has jumped from 1,277 to 2,099, an increase of 822 in one year. In ex tension class work alone there was an increase from 901 to 1,257 students who registered for 1,406 courses as com pared with 901 courses the year before. In correspondence courses the enroU- ment increased from 376 to 836, while the number, of courses taken jumped from 609 to 1,232. There are 70 extension classes con ducted by 21 instructors in 38 communi ties scattered throughout the state. There were 72 courses offered by cor respondence; 46 members of the facul ty gave instruction, and 12,613 lesson assignments were corrected. The rapid growth of the University Extension work during the last five years is shown by the following fig ures: the enrollment in correspondence courses was 24 in 1920, 111 in 1921, 202 in 1922, 376 in 1923, and 836 in 1924. The enrollment in extension classes was 46 in 1921, when the work began, 199 in 1922, 901 in 1923, and 1,257 in 1924. Fourteen Bureaus The Extension Division now has 14 bureaus, grouped under three depart ments for the purpose of administra tion and supervision. The activities of the bureaus of extension teaching and correspondence courses have just been outlined. The burea^ of high- school debating and athletics, which has been organized since 1912, reports that during the year 264 high schools repre senting 90 counties took part in the twelfth annual debating contest held last spring. There were 206 high schools representing 67 counties en rolled in the various high-school athle tic contests during the year. The bureau of Commercial and In dustrial Relations reports the follow ing activities: 29 lectures to chambers of commerce, banking institutions, and special groups of business men; book reviews for the Tar Heel Banker; con tinuation of consulting service; 6 ex tension courses; the continuance of the publication of North Carolina Com merce and Industry, in conjunction with the North Carolina Commercial Secretaries’ Association. The bureau of Municipal Information and Research has made a study of small towns in North Carolina, and an attempt will be made to have on record a comprehen sive body of information about these towns. The organization of the bureau of Community Drama has grown steadily and the bureau has entered some new fields. Two state represen- KNOW NORTH CAROLINA Wealth and Tax Burden North Carolina’s rapid rise as an industrial state largely explains the phenomenal increase in the wealth of the state during the last decade or 80. North Carolina led all the states of the Union in the increase in wealth per inhabitant during the ten-year period from 1912 to 1922, and in the increase in total wealth only two states made larger per cent gains. The estimated value of the principal forms of wealth in North Carolina in 1912 was $1,647,- 781,COO and at the end of 1922 it was $4,643,110,000, a gain in ten years of $2,896,329,000, or 175.6 per cent, the greatest gain made by any state in the Union. In Njrth Carolina property is taxed for I jcal purposes only. The state government levies no taxes on prop erty. The aggregate tax levy for all purposes whatsoever averages $1.47 per one hundr^ dollars of pro perty listed for taxation inl922, and the rate averaged the lowest fp any state in the Union. The total tax bur den per inhabitant is less in only five states. The North Carolina tax payer gets more for his money than does the taxpayer of any other state. The cost of government has in creased but it is still cheap in this state. In no other state are the peo ple getting as much in return for what they spend in taxes as in North Carolina.—From Know Your Own State—North Carolina, A Program for Women’s Clubs issued by the University Extension Division. programs and library service, and 167 clubs out of the state with programs. It sent to clubs 8,338 books and pam phlets—double the number of last year, sent 2,037 packages, and wrote 4,780 letters. The library extension service sent out 3,306 packages, 760 package libraries—10 or more pieces to tne package, 4,170 books, 1,461 pamphlets, and 4,466 letters. The bureau of Publications reports the publication of 14 extension bulle-^ lins, bavinga total of 61,700 copies, and 11 circulars with 11,200 copies issued. The University News Letter appeared 60 times, 737,500 copies being mailedi out. There were 12 issues of the North Carolina Commerce and Industry with 84,000 copies distributed. In addition 6,000 miscellaneous lenfiets were sent out. A total of 890,400 pieces of second-class mail were issued during the year. tatives have been employed to render service to communities out in the state. The activities of the bureau of Economic and Social Surveys included 42 studies-of nation-wide range, 15 of which were given to the public through the University News Letter, and 81 •state studies, 18 of which were summarized in the News Letter. Forty-seven special county studies were made, several of which appeared in bulletin form. Special lectures have been given out in the state by membets of this bureau. The bureau of Design and Improvement of School Grounds has sent its representatives to 22 counties during the year, and has made blue-print plans for beautifying and improving school grounds. The bu reau of Community Music has deliv ered 16 lectures out in the state, con ducted 16 conferences, directed 14 con certs and 8 community sings, judged 5 music contests, aided 15 towns in se curing music teachers and supervisors, and has written more than 1,000 letters concerning different phases of music extension service. The School of Edu cation maintained a bureau of educa tional service and research. This bu reau rendered invaluable service to the State through its educational testing program which this year was caried on in 65 high schools with a total enroll ment of 9,146 pupils. Other extension activities included 22 correspondence courses with 291 students enrolled, 35 extension classes in 28 communi ties with 841 students enrolled. Three publications were edited: The High School Journal, The Orange County School News, and The North Carolina Teacher. ' Sixty lectures were delivered before educational groups throughout the state. Other.'Extension Activities The director of the bureau of Re creation and Community Organization has assisted a large number of com munities in connection with recreation and community problems. A special study of social agencies has been made in communities at the request of com munity authorities. Thirty-six ad dresses were made out in the state.; The bureau of Lectures and Short Courses reports 83 lectures, 23 com mencement addresses, and 7 recitals, with a total audience of approximately 40,000. Thirty-three members of the faculty delivered one or more of these lectures. The services of the Bureau of Public Discussion have been divided in to two sections—the women’s clubs sec tion and all other individuals not in cluded in the women’s groups and school groups. The women’s clubs section assisted 278 state clubs with TENANCY AND ATTENDANCE The leading farm tenant county in North Carolina made the poorest school attendance record for the year 1923 24, according to the records of the Slate Department of Public Instruction. In Scotland county nearly eighty percent of the farms are operated by tenants, and only 60 percent of the children en rolled in school were in average daily attendance. Dare, the county with the lowest farm tenant rate, led the state in school attendancei with 90 per- I cent of the children enrolled in daily ^ attendance. I There seems to be a fairly close cor- relaLiun between farm tenancy and poor school attendance. Of more than two score rural teachers who have recently been questioned every one reports that farm tenants’ children are more irregu lar in attendance than are the children of farm owners, and furthermore, very few tenant children ever gradu ate from high school. In 1923-24 there were thirty-three counties in which less than 70 percent of the enrolled children were in averag'e daily attendance. Al most without exception they were counties with either high ratios of farm tenancy, or else mountain coun ties -where climate and poor roads re duce school attendance. How Tenant Qounties Ranh The following table shows the per cent of farms operated by tenants in the counties in which the farm tenant rate is above t^e state average of 43.6 percent, and the percent of children enrolled in school in average daily at tendance. The counties with large tenant rates and fair attendance rec ords are those with large urban ratios, or they are northeastern tidewater counties that grow very little cotton or tobacco. Note the correlation in cash- crop tenant counties—Scotland, Edge combe Greene, Wilson, Pitt, Lenoir, Halifax, Wayne, Hoke, Franklin, Richmond, and so on, great cash-crop farm-tenant counties with good school facilities as a rule, but all with miser able attendance Records. Counties Tenant Rates Percent Attendance On Enroll. Stokes 44.6 69 Chowan .... 46.4 76 Hyde .. . 46.8 78 Cumberland.... .. . 46.0 66 Duplin . . 46.7 72 Cleveland .... . . 48.6 70 Person . .. .... 48.6 68 Martin .... 48.6 67 CravenI .. . 49.0 75 Johnston . . 61.2 66 Union 51.6 73 Pasquotank .... .... 51.6 74 Perquimans ... .... 62.1 68 Cabarrus . . 62.2 76 Vance .... 54.0 76 Bertie . .. 64.2 70 Warren ... 64.8 76 Rockingham ... 54.9 86 Caswell 55.0 72 Granville . . 65.1 70 Durham . .. 65:4 71 Nash . . 55.9 71 Camden 67.2 83 Wake .... 59.0 69 Northampton... .... 69.7 77 Kobeson ... .... 69.7 71 Hercicrd .. . 63.2 86 Mecklenburg ... ... 61.9 74 Richmond .. 62.0 69 Franklin .... 63.0 66 Jones .... 63.8 77 Hoke .... 64.6 69 Wayne .... 66.6 . 69 Halifax .... 66.6 73 Anson . .. 67.6 76 Lenoir .... 71.1 62 Pitt. . ... 71.8 72 Wilson .. . 76.2 70 [ireene . . 78.2 67 Edgecombe .. . 79.4 70 Scotland ... 79.6 60 Seven Millions Thrown Away The compulsory school attendance law of North Carolina does not seem to be very effective. Out of every 100 children enrolled in school during the last school year, an average of only 71 were in daily attendance. In 73 counties more than one-fourth of the enrolled children were absent daily. A school is organized to care for tbe total enroll ment. When three out of every ten children enrolled in the state are absent daily it means that 30 percent of the taxpayers’ money is being wasted. Which means that about seven million dollars of school tax money was wasted last year because of poor attendance. This is enough money to carry the entire State bonded debt, and equals the total income from automobile li cense and the gasoline tax. Four out of every ten dollars the taxpayers of Scotland county pay for school purposes are wasted, it’s the taxpayers’ fault, for poor attendance is largely the fault of the parents. It is up to the parents to keep their chil dren in school and get the benefit of the money paid for school support. The appeal is especially directed at tenant farmers, whose children in turn will be tenant farmers if they are not allowed to get an education that will enable them to compete with others on equal terms. STATE SUPPORT OF COLLEGE CULTURE Based (1) on Statistics of State Universities and State Colleges, Bulletin No. 26, 1924, of the Federal Bureau of Education, and (2) on the Census esti mate of white population for 1923. The figures for each state cover (1) the total of state funds used for cur rent or operating expenses by the state university, the land grant college, and other state-supported schools of college grade, and (2) the white population alone, in order to put the states on a fair basis of comparison. Eliminating the negro, who produces much wealth, raises the rank of all southern states, but it also eliminates any possible criticism of the method of compari son. In North Carolina the figures refer to the State College for' Women, the State College of Agriculture and Engineering, and the State University; and in other states to similar state-supported institutions of liberal learning and technical training of college grade. North Carolina spent 67 cents per white inhabitant for college culture in 1922-23, against 55 cents in 1921-22. Nevada ranks first with $2.68. Southern states ranking ahead of North Carolina are South Carolina $1.10, Texas $0.63, Oklahoma $0.61, while Mississippi ties us for twenty-fifth place. In 1923-24 in North Carolina the average rose to 73 cents per white inhabitant. United States average 66 cents per white inhabitant. S. H Hobbs, Jr. Department of Rural Social-Economics, University of North Carolina. Rank States Totals Per White Inhab. Rank States Totals Per White Inhab. 1 Nevada $ 190,424 $ 2.68 26 Mississippi..., $ 481,638 $.67 2 Oregon 1,763,768 2,17 25 North Carolina.. 1,085,000 .57 3 Nebraska 1,885,600 1.44 27 Virginia 872,961 .61 4 Iowa 3,186,972 1.30 28 Illinois 3,273,515 .60 6 Colorado 1,212,266 1.23 29 New Mexico... 161,500 .47 6 Arizona 403,662 1.20 30 Florida 325,473 .46 7 Washington.... 1,633,390 1.17 31 Ohio 2,576,294 .44 8 Utah 620,006 1.11 31 West Virginia. 645,000 .44 9 Minnesota .... 2,719,499 1.10 33 Tennessee 662,294 .34 9 South Carolina. 966,592 1.10 34 Louisiana 362,377 .32 11 Kansas 1,885,902 1.09 35 Maine 229,648 .30 12 South Dakota.. 693,477 1.08 36 Missouri 916,433 .28 13 Idaho 477,936 1.03 37 Vermont 91,015 .26 14 Montana 608,821 1.02 38 Arkansas 310,589 .24 15 California 3,629,781 1.00 38 Georgia 422,419 .24 16 Michigan 3,881,775 1.00 40 Alabama 327,687 .22 15 North Dakota.. 662,081 1.00 41 Massachusetts. 834,072 .21 18 Wisconsin 2,491,376 .92 42 Maryland 243,834 .20 19 Wyoming .. .. 182,972 .88 43 Kentucky 432,406 .19 20 Indiana 2,287,084 .78 44 Connecticut... . 188,834 .13 21 Delaware 144,600 .72 44 Rhode Island... 80,507 .13 22 Texas 2,632,183 .63 46 Pennsylvania.. 825,262 .09 23 New Hampshire 278,639 .62 47 New York .... 866,924 .08 24 Oklahoma 1,195,739 .61 48 New Jersey.,. 239,341 .07
The University of North Carolina News Letter (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 7, 1925, edition 1
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